Tag: REALLY

bookmark_borderSticky smartness

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It’s always the little things that you’ve never seen before that make you sit up and think “hey, that’s smart”. In my case a simple photo, used to provide context, was enough to trigger this, and it’s so simple an idea that I’m surprised that something similar isn’t in wider use. Read on, MacDuff, to find out what the chuff I’m blithering on about this time…

As alluded to a few days ago, I’m currently hunting for THE laptop bag, one that will set me apart from the standard “black briefcase style” masses and move me into the same arena as all those elite, übercool kids, you know, the ones who are probably toting MacBooks. I spent a couple of hours browsing various stores in an effort to find something that suited but soon stumbled across a consistent problem.

Having thought more about what I really need from a bag, I now know that I want something that will hold a laptop, accessories, my usual accumulation of guff and occasionally my camera, all whilst remaining small and reasonably compact. Add in my mantra – Nothing is any good if other people like it – and it gets tricky. My mantra allows me first refusal on many items without any real grounds for rejection, other than pursing my lips and scrunching up my forehead in concentration, then muttering “yeah… but… nah.. I just don’t like it… because… well it’s hard to put my finger on… it’s just NOT RIGHT”.

You can see why my wife HATES shopping with me, and why I do most of my research online.

In saying that, I suspect that she thinks I ‘over-research’ such things as, when a mutual friend of ours recently asked for my advice as to which digital camera she should buy, her opening line was: “you know how you research everything to death… well..”. Alas there was no witty comeback from me. It is true.

When searching for personal accessories, or clothes for that matter, I have three basic criteria. Two of which will negate the other, but the third can never ever be fudged.

  • Price – I work to a budget. That budget depends on various factors, including the type of item I’m looking to purchase, and can sometimes be negated by…
  • Design – I’m very fussy in most things, particularly when it comes to design. If I REALLY like something, I’ll break my budget and buy because I like the design. However, above a certain threshold, design is negated by price.
  • Practicality – This isn’t the be all and end all but depending on the item has relative importance. For example, if I’m buying a shirt, it has to be long-sleeved. Price and design don’t matter in that respect. Similarly if I’m buying a car, if it doesn’t have the features I want, price and design don’t have a look in (honest!).

Nothing earth-shattering there then, I’m sure most of you conduct your shopping in a similar manner. Of course, buying things online adds a level of complexity, particularly when choosing the design – will it really look like it does in the photos? – and the judging the practicality – it says it has four tabs, but are they all the same size? – and as every online store does things differently, well that’s when it gets really interesting… or confusing… or both.
Continue reading “Sticky smartness”

bookmark_borderDo I REALLY sound like that?

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In an effort to compile a list of what I consider to be the best posts of this blog, and yes such things are highly subjective I know, I spent some time perusing my archives last night.

It’s an odd experience, as I found myself re-living a lot of my past via this strange yet familiar narrator. For, you see, I don’t actually talk like wot I write, y’ken? Hmm I don’t talk like that either mind you… although I do say “och aye” more than I realised, much to the amusement of a colleage of mine from New Zealand.

Of course this isn’t such a surprise as no-one really talks the way they write, nor sings the way they speak, but I did catch myself wondering if I really did write what I was reading. Which is both odd and comfortably flattering at the same time.

I guess this comes down to that old “people don’t see you the way YOU see you” thing, where, as the name suggests, other people don’t see you the way you see yourself, and their opinion of you isn’t swayed by your own internal insecurities, unlike your own.

There are far too many commas in that last sentence, this is another thing I’ve noticed and which litters my archives like dog turds on a cycling path, consistently terrible punctuation. What of the semi-colon? Honestly, as someone who writes for a living I am shamed. Of course there isn’t much call for personal writing in the midst of a technical manual so maybe I have a small get-out clause?

Yes, browsing your own archives is both enlightening and informing in many ways. I recently commented, on another site, about why I leave my entire archives in place rather than removing the nonsense, or starting over completely. The simple reason is that they remind me of how this blog started and how much it has improved. Looking back to the first year or two of this blog I’m still surprised that anyone visited at all, let alone returned more than once. Zip forward to 2007 and the stats continually surprise me. Hundreds of you visit every day, and then come back again, and again. I may not get the most visitors and I may not get the most comments, but I have to admit to a quiet satisfaction that, for the main part, my visitors and their comments are of a consistently high standard. Thanks you guys.

Stepping back to take a new view of something is always intriguing, regardless of the subject matter. Everyone has a different viewpoint, a different point of approach, a new angle. Given the recent round of news in the blogosphere regarding “codes of conduct”, self regulation and so on, this is something worth considering. I’m happy to be disagreed with, I’m happy to be proven wrong, I’m happy for people to voice their dissent in the strongest terms but my comment policy stands. I enjoy reading comments from people with a different point of view, no matter how opposed. I’m always willing to learn from others, so if I say Black is White, please feel free to disagree with me (and yes, I know Black and White aren’t colours).

I’m not going to tackle that topic though, others have been before me and most of the ground has been covered. I will point you to the new Blog Advisory System though, it seems to be very accurate.

Whoa, bit off-track (there is another post in this, about how the fact my miniblog refuses to work is effecting how and what I write here in the main posts) now, were was I?

It has, and continues to be, an education to read through my own archives. I don’t have that great a memory, with a lot of the stuff I post here largely being posted as a method of NOT having to remember it, so it’s an excellent way to re-acquaint myself with my own content. I am intrigued to know how everyone else keeps track of such things, are you all as disorganised as I am? Or do you remember what you wrote?

Do you read through your own archives from time to time, or just search them when you have a vague memory of possibly, maybe, posting about a particular topic in the past?

How do YOU use your own archives?

bookmark_borderBank Holiday Weekend

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Yesterday was a Bank Holiday. Whilst this is not a huge event in and of itself, it is worth noting as it was probably the first time I’ve not worked one for about 10 years.

After a day pottering at home on Saturday, we headed through to a friends house for a BBQ on Sunday. Not the greatest of days for cooking outdoors but it wasn’t TOO cold. A long afternoon turned into a late night, with news of a wedding taking centre stage. I’ll also be really REALLY good and not mention fake tan… sorry private joke.

We stayed with my parents on Saturday night and arose early to took take my parents to Perth for the day. Most of the day was spent wandering around shops and gardens, with several food related pitstops. Photos were taken, the weather did it’s best, and my Mum even managed to dribble chocolate sauce down her light blue jumper…

All in all a good day. I had visions of sitting in mile-long tailbacks for hours on end, but as we were away from most of the tourist traps we largely avoided such misery. Why DO people do it?

bookmark_borderSimple is as simple does

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I’m going to start this with something controversial, I do hope the following statement doesn’t shock you, so please take a moment to prepare yourself.

OK? All set? Maybe a few deep breaths first.

OK, here it is.

My new PC is fast, shiny and does lots and lots and lots of things.

Phew, that was something, wasn’t it! WOW! Everyone still with me? I realise that must have been a bit of a jolt. OK, some more deep breaths, calm calm.

[What IS all this nonsense? Get on with it! Ed]

OK, I wanna take about how my use of technology is getting simpler. Coming from a self-confessed gadget-freak, that statement wouldn’t even have been contemplated a few years ago, let alone typed, checked, edited and published!

Of course, technically speaking, it’s the software that helps me do all those lots and lots and lots of things. Over the years, and with much experimentation, I’ve slowly found good workable solutions for all my ‘tech’ needs. So much so that, increasingly, or rather DEcreasingly, I no longer spend much time searching for new applications that will help me do new ‘stuff’ on my PC preferring to, you know, actually getting things done.

I realise it’s not much of a revelation to most, if any, but it marks a change in my mindset and I thought I’d mark such a momentous occasion (for my mind is like an giant oil tanker, it takes several miles to slow down, let alone turn in another direction) by delving a little deeper. Yeah yeah, I know…

This ‘new’ way of viewing my PC means I no longer need to fight around the technological barriers I used to place in my own way. I used to download and experiment with a lot of software, trying different types of graphics apps, different email apps, browsers, 3rd party add-ons and so on and on and on.

But no longer! I’ve slimmed down (my PC), gone lean and mean and I’ve slowly begun to realise that, subconsciously, this is something that I’ve already started doing with my other ‘gadgets’.
Continue reading “Simple is as simple does”

bookmark_borderMix CD #4583924

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Despite having other things to do, I spent some time last night making up some new mix CDs. I’m spending a lot more time in the car these days and sometimes the babbling idiots on the radio MUST be silenced.

I tend to try and theme things, either by pace, volume or genre. However I always seem to have trouble naming them. I’m not a fan of “Mix CD #21” as a naming convention because I invariably forget which one is which. Not a problem if they are just a grab-bag of anything and everything but a bit of a hassle when you want a few quiet tracks after a stressful day and end up with Metallica and Rage Against the Machine blaring out at you.

Anyone got any suggestions? I’m fine if I limit things to, for example, 3 or 4 bands. Last night I burnt a CD that was titled “Radio Musings on Pearl Fighters” which was limited to four bands, but I also burnt two others which were a mix of tracks from entirely different artists… they are currently unlabelled.

Or perhaps I should just learn to write REALLY small and just list the tracks on the CD itself.

bookmark_borderDear Bloggers

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For the most part, us “people who blog” are a friendly bunch and get on pretty well, don’t we? We are polite, even when we disagree, enjoy leaving comments for others (even just to say “well said!” as that’s just as important as any other kind of comment) and occasionally some of us swap emails and do each other favours. Yes, we are “good sorts” by and large (apart from HIM, ohh, and HER… but we won’t talk about THEM).

Of course we are only human and this hobby is so transitory that you occasionally lose touch with people (blogs) that you used to read regularly. Sometimes it’s a deliberate decision, other times it’s a sneaking change that you don’t notice until it’s pointed out to you. I’m guilty of this, as you no doubt are, but we all have our own habits and preferences and, as with most things, interests change. Over the years my reading habits have veered here and there, and still remain fairly eclectic. I enjoy many types of writing, many forms of reading, and for that I thank each and everyone one of you lovely bloggers whom I’ve had the privilege of reading.

And to those who I used to read and no longer visit, don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault, it’s just the way things are, tastes change.

Part of my thinking behind the comments discussion last week was driven by the fact that, often, I won’t know that someone has linked to me unless they leave a comment. I guess I’m similar to most in that I will always visit the website of someone who is ‘new’ to my site (even if they’ve been reading for a while). The added exposure, generated by leaving a comment, is usually enough to tip me in your direction for a week or so. Sometimes my visits will continue, sometimes they won’t, but regardless I’m usually pretty chuffed to find a new site that is linking to mine even if I still don’t really understand why people link here, there are plenty better blogs around (a lot of them linked down on the left!).

But you know what would REALLY make a difference, to me at least? What would/may tip me in your direction more often?

Spell my bloody name right!!

It is NOT GORDON MCCLEAN (one “c” only!), nor Gordon MacLean (no “a”!). It’s pronounced “mck lane” if that helps.

M C L E A N

It’s really not that hard you know.

And for those who still have me as ‘snowgoon’ you are forgiven for a while but come on, I’ve not used that name here for a couple of years at least. Get with the program!

Yours somewhat in jest (but you know what they say about ‘never a truer word said’)

Colin McClain